From free hotel nights to a cheap lunch to, sigh, even a frugal fail, it’s been a busy week!
1. We used some free night certificates for surprise work travel.
This past week threw us some curveballs in the ol’ work-travel department. LeeLee’s workweek got thrown into flux when we got word that a snowstorm was coming to town, and thus his time away had to be extended at the last minute when he decided to leave a couple of days earlier than planned so he didn’t get stuck here. (No big deal: He had plenty to do!) But since these extra nights away were likely to be an expense on our own dime, I wanted to make sure we did this as cheaply as possible. Enter: Some Marriott free night certificates! I’ve found them to be fairly difficult to use for a regular vacation, as the maximum point spend is often too low for vacation destinations, but they worked perfectly for a work trip at a lower-cost Marriott brand (the Moxy, in this case). So: LeeLee made it out of town safe and sound, and without breaking the bank. I love it! (Also, he made it back home safe and sound after the fact, and to a shoveled-out parking space, for which he owes me deeply.)
2. Lunch with a friend cost only $16!
While LeeLee was out of town, a friend and I went to try a new restaurant in town (walkable, given the aforementioned snowstorm!), and imagine my surprise to find that two (2) slices of pizza-by-the-slice came to a grand total of $16, including tip. I can’t think of the last time I went to a sit-down restaurant and came away with so much money still in my pocket! And the food was great, to boot.
3. The leftovers remain plentiful.
I’ve intentionally gone heavy-duty into our leftover creation lately, making first-run meals that leave a lot for later. This week already we’ve enjoyed multiple servings of “steak” and ale pie with mashed potatoes, as well as Moroccan chik’n soup (pictured above), and I’m eyeing plenty of leftover-producing meals for the weekend too! Viva la (Leftover) Revolucion!
4. LeeLee found a bargain over at our local Goodwill.
Speaking of that upcoming work travel, LeeLee realized over the winter that he is deeply depleted on any and all businesswear. What better place to find some bargains than at our local Goodwill? He came home with 14 (!) various and sundry items, from collared shirts to ties to slacks to sport coats – some of which still had the store tags on! – for a grand total of $86. That nets out to $6 per garment, which is better than you’ll find on any first-run store rack. (And he looks ding-dang good, if you ask me!)
5. And … a frugal fail.
A couple of months ago, LeeLee’s beloved iPhone, his trusty friend for the better part of at least seven years, gave up the ghost suddenly and without warning one morning. He trucked over to Best Buy to get a new one – well, actually he started at AT&T (which is our carrier) and was directed to Best Buy by them, which feels weird, but whatever – and as a thank-you they sent him home with a $100 Best Buy gift card, which I immediately put in a safe place. And, dear friends, here is where the frugal fail comes in: I have forgotten where the safe place is. I know it is in our home. I know it has not walked off. But WHERE? I cannot say. Ideally this will turn back into a frugal win sometime soon, but right now, I am feeling like a pretty silly goose.
What are your frugal wins (or fails!) this week? Let’s hear about ’em in the comments!
:)
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